Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources Launches

Pima County has brought together the functions of several units to launch a new department –Conservation Lands and Resources. 

The department brings together the conservation functions of two departments, the former Office of Sustainability and Conservation and the newly-renamed Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation. Its creation, announced in November 2023 memo to the Board of Supervisors, enables CLR to manage County conservation lands and development in alignment with its award-winning Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan.

CLR comprises OSC’s conservation science and historic and cultural preservation divisions and NRPR’s Natural Resources division, which manages natural resource parks such as Historic Canoa Ranch and Agua Caliente, and mountain parks such as Tucson Mountain Park and Colossal Cave. OSC’s sustainability division has been moved into Pima County’s Department of Environmental Quality, and NRPR has been renamed Pima County Parks and Recreation.

Members of the public should see little change. For example, they will still use the same online reservation system to reserve ramadas at parks. Parks and Recreation will continue to manage urban parks, sports fields, community centers, pools, splash pads, and all programming and recreation that takes place at those facilities. 

CLR at a glance:

• 73 positions
• 250,000 acres of County owned and managed mountain parks, ranches and other conservation lands
• 25 trailheads and more than 150 miles of trails
• Natural and cultural heritage preservation and development compliance
• Education programming, Native Plant Nursery and restoration services

“Conservation Lands and Resources is committed to honoring the vision of the Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan and the conservation ethic consistently articulated by our Board of Supervisors,” said Nicole Fyffe, interim director of CLR. “CLR and PR staff should be commended for the additional work and cooperation during this transition.”

The county’s current conservation efforts date back more than 25 years and include implementation of a voter-approved open space and historic preservation bond program; and creation of the SDCP, which has guided the county’s regional conservation efforts.

On Jun. 3, County Administrator Jan Lesher announced the appointment of Kris Gade, formerly assistant environmental administrator at the Arizona Department of Transportation, as CLR’s new director. She begins Jul. 23.

CLR is headquartered at 201 N. Stone Ave. on the sixth floor. The department is currently sharing front desk assistance and general number – 520-724-5000 – with Parks and Recreation. Parks and Recreation staff will remain at their current location at 3500 W. River Road. 

For more information, visit the CLR webpage.